


The King

by klari19



Category: Togainu no Chi
Genre: Death (Mention), Existential Angst, Gen, M/M, Power Dynamics, Power Imbalance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 05:20:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9057247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klari19/pseuds/klari19
Summary: “You,” Shiki whispers, leaning into Nano’s personal space to look down at him and leaving but a few centimeters between their noses, “did this to my kingdom.”“This was anything but a kingdom,” Nano says easily. “A feudal fief at most.”





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ShadowTheZombie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowTheZombie/gifts).



> This is a backup gift for [ShadowTheZombie](http://shadowthezombie.tumblr.com/), for the TnC Secret Santa event on tumblr!
> 
> Your original prompt was "Something sad or some hurt/comfort stuff", but I kind of went on an angst tangent more than anything else?? It's not too festive (at all), and for that I apologize. Shiki's characterization is also a bit wonky and I would have wanted to fix that, but with the amount of work that I've had to do in the past few weeks it proved itself impossible... However, I hope you enjoy reading this! 
> 
> On tumblr at kuroosthighz & clara-wrote-once

“They’re… really gone,” Nano whispers, the sight of the men lying dead on the street feeling almost like an illusion to him. “All of them. Dead.”

This is what he’s been dreaming about for so long and finally,  _ finally _ he made it happen. Slowly, a wicked smile pulls up the corners of his lips.

“Yeah. They’re all dead. And whose fucking fault do you think it is?”

Nano turns around, surprised to hear a voice rise in the middle of such desolation. It’s easy to find its source though; a lone man clad in all-black is standing in the middle of the street, glaring holes into Nano’s skull from across the distance.

“Il Re.” Nano can’t help the low chuckle that leaves his throat. He shakes his head slowly. “Of course you’d make it through.”

“Of fucking course I would. The day I’ll take that shit of yours it’s the day the world’ll end,” the man spits, expression twisting into one of true disgust. “And quit it with the nickname.”

“Sorry, Shiki,” Nano offers. He tips his head down in apology, bowing just a little. 

“The fuck,” Shiki mutters, frown deepening. Nano sees him pinch and rub the bridge of his nose for a moment, as if to calm himself down. “Anyway, look at what you did to my kingdom,” Shiki says at last, voice echoing off the dirty gray walls, arms spread out to his sides.

Nano blinks once, twice. “Excuse me?”

Darkness falls over Shiki’s pupils. His hips sway slowly as he makes his way over to where Nano is standing. He never looks down to see where he puts his feet as he steps over limp and lifeless bodies on the ground, his gaze is always on Nano. 

“You,” Shiki whispers, leaning into Nano’s personal space to look down at him and leaving but a few centimeters between their noses, “did  _ this _ to my kingdom.”

“This was anything but a kingdom,” Nano says easily. “A feudal fief at most.”

Shiki’s hand flies to his hip and grips the hilt of his sword. “Shut the  _ fuck _ up,” he growls.

Nano feels a smirk crawl up his lips. “Make me.”

Baring teeth and growling Shiki begins unsheathing his sword, the soft sound of a perfectly sharpened blade scraping against its wooden confinement ringing loudly in the space between their bodies. 

And then it stops. Shiki’s hand stills midway.

It’s a second before Nano realizes Shiki is incapable of making another move. His eyes widen in (pleasant) surprise as he looks up into Shiki’s murderous gaze. 

“What’s wrong?” Nano asks as if he doesn’t know already. He tilts his head to the side in feigned innocence.

Nano can pinpoint the moment Shiki gives up: his lips twitch and the intensity of his powerful gaze falters right before he breaks eye contact and walks away from Nano, shoulders hunched and legs wobbling. 

“I’m the only person left in your so-called kingdom, am I not?” Nano speaks softly as he watches Shiki’s back. “And if you kill me…. What’s Il Re, then? What’s a King without his subjects…”

“ _ Stop! _ ” Shiki’s voice feels like it could pierce through flesh in that given moment. His shoulders rise and fall along with heavy and difficult intakes of breath. Then, for the first time in his life, Nano hears something close to a sob in Shiki’s voice when he speaks, “Everything I worked so hard upon…” 

Nano can’t help but roll his eyes at that. “Everything  _ you  _ worked hard upon?” Laughter bubbles softly in his chest. “Do you even realize what put you on that podium?  _ Who _ put you in such an important position?”

Is Shiki really that oblivious? It seems impossible, and yet…

“Rein was but an accessory in the process.” Nano has to strain his ear to hear the words ushered out by Shiki in a single breath. 

He laughs, loud and wholehearted this time, because Shiki is so lost and scared and desperate that he’s starting to contradict himself.

It wasn’t Nano’s initial intent to  _ break _ Shiki. But now that he’s heard what Shiki has to say--because, really, that’s very possibly all he has-- he wants to completely, definitely wreck him until he no longer recognizes himself in his own remains.

“I see,” Nano murmurs then, still looking at Shiki’s back since the other hasn’t turned around. He knows that he’s listening to him though, so he continues, “if Rein was only a vulgar accessory for the building of your kingdom, something you could have discarded underway…” he trails off.

Shiki finally gets the hint and turns to face Nano. There’s a vacant, empty expression on his face. His eyes are dark and devoid of any previous light they had.

“...how do you explain Rein was also the reason of its ruin?”

Shiki’s fists are tight balls at his sides, and Nano sees him clench his jaw. Whatever force he has left he’s using it up in those simple gestures.

Nano is relentless though. “You said it yourself, that  _ I _ am the reason your pretty little kingdom collapsed in on itself. So how do you explain that if not because I’m the reason why Rein and, by association, your kingdom exist.” He pauses. “Or rather...  _ existed _ .”

“Stop…” It’s but a mere breath carried over by the wind. 

Nano truly wants to destroy Shiki.

“How do you explain,” he raises his voice and walks up to Shiki, closing the gap between them in a few long steps, “that your  _ kingdom _ wasn’t based upon your authority, but upon my blood?”

“Nicole…” Shiki visibly shrinks before him, and now Nano is the one looking down. 

“How do you explain that the reason of your existence…” he whispers, “is in fact  _ me. _ ” It’s not a question but Nano knows the answer to it.

Shiki gazes up at him as if from afar, irises unfocused and lost and begging for help. “I need you,” he chokes out. 

A single tear falls down Shiki’s pale cheek and Nano kisses it softly. “I know…” he whispers. His palms cradle Shiki’s face, thumbs rubbing slow circles over his jawbone. “I know, I’m here for you…”

Nano revels in the sight of the shift in Shiki’s expression at that. With his eyebrows drawn down and his eyes glistening Shiki acknowledges the fact that he no longer has a will of himself, that he is nothing without Nano.

“You’ve always relied and depended on me, so why should that change now?” Nano asks softly without expecting a response, stroking Shiki’s hair as the other buries his head into the crook of his neck.

Nano wears a victorious smile on his lips.


End file.
